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Project Criteria

Prior to accepting a project, Center staff undertakes an assessment of the appropriateness of Center involvement. This assessment consists of conversations with leaders from involved governments, stakeholder groups, and residents to determine if the issue is “ripe” and if the parties are amenable to the Center’s involvement. Also included in the assessment are consultation with the Center’s Advisory Board and an analysis of the project’s fit with Center criteria. The Center has developed the following primary and secondary selection criteria:

Primary Criteria

  1. The project is consistent with the vision, mission, policies and scope of the Center.
  2. The Center’s involvement is acceptable to those directly affected, and to those in authority who will receive the results of the project.
  3. The project addresses important public policy issues or community needs.
  4. The potential sponsorship and support for the project by leaders of affected parties is sufficient to promote meaningful results and leadership for follow through.
  5. The project is cost effective, such that provision of Center services will likely result in a positive and long-term impact proportionate to the expenditure of resources.
  6. A center based at Washington’s public research universities adds unique value to the project, in that it contributes expertise, knowledge, credibility, a public service orientation, and/or other resources that can help the project reach a successful resolution.

Secondary Criteria

  1. The project involves multiple parties from the public and private sectors and/or tribal nations in Washington State and the Pacific Northwest.
  2. The Center can provide useful resources or services appropriate to the project and obtain results in a reasonable period of time relative to the complexity and history of the issue.
  3. The project provides an opportunity to build capacity in institutions and/or communities or may result in the incorporation of collaborative approaches to dispute resolution or policy-making so that parties are better able to resolve problems and conflicts in the future.
  4. The project allows the Center to learn from or assist a diversity of residents, communities, tribes, interest groups, businesses and/or government agencies.
  5. The project provides the opportunity to learn valuable principles and/or gain knowledge in a policy area that helps the Center be more useful in the future.
  6. The project provides opportunities to enrich the teaching, research and public service activities of the universities and provides learning opportunities for students.
  7. The project encourages work across units within each university and takes advantage of the collaboration of the two universities.
  8. The project contributes to multiple components of the Center’s mission.

Updated on February 12, 2020.